Wire spiral spring



Patented June 4, 1935 [UNITED sTATEs PATENTOFFICEJ Washington Vinar, iCicero, Ill., assignor to Burp ton-Dixie Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Application March 6, 1933, Serial $0,659,693 1 Claim. (01. 5-9256 My invention pertains to betterments in wire spiral-springs for incorporation in cushions and similar constructions. Y

Heretofore it has been customary, to make bed-springs, spring-cushions, etc., using the orfasten ng 0r securing such terminal rings of the several springs together in any approved or satisfactory. manner. v d

In making .the helical or spiral springs, the wire from which they are produced is coiled in a machine provided for that purpose, the entire length of wire used for any single spring being shaped into spiral formation, which at the proper time is severed or cut from the length of supply wire. r

The top terminal, portion orlast spiral convolution is then pressed down flat vor brought into a single plane and its end wrapped around or secured to the portion of the wire adjacent thereto.

Such top ring hasno substantial resiliency or pliability in its own plane and it cannot be enlarged or reduced in size under ordinary conditions.

Furthermore, it cannot, as a whole, be shifted laterally of the axis of the spring without material deformation of the latter, and the spring proper resists such displacement of its end or top coil in substantial measure. 7

In a spring-cushion incorporating my invention I employ upright or erect spiral-springs, each of which has a fiat top or head composed of a plurality of convolutions of the wire in the same plane which gives the outer ring of such head the capacity for sidewise movement or play in its own plane without material distortion of the main body of the spring, and, in some cases, depending upon the structure employed, without any twisting or forcing of the spring proper out of its true or normal position.

Such type of spring permits its head or top coil to move in its own plane in substantial degree, as may be required, to support the imposed load most advantageously to take advantage of the pliant and resilient characteristics of the structure; this, of course, being of material importance when the spring-cushion is a bed-spring and the occupant rests thereon in prostratev or prone position; it being understood that if the top coils of the multitude or plurality of springs are connected together by appropriate means, so that no spring ordinarily acts solely in its own individual capacity but rather in conjunction with its neighbors, the capability of sidewise' movement of the spring heads is' of substantial importance and material advantage.

leave no great unfilled or unoccupied space or gap in the center portion of such multiple-convolution, plane head, the turn of'the wire forming the spring just below such headis made of less di-., ameter than theconvolution or convolutions im-,

mediately below it, which results in making such to better advantage, to make theinner convolution of the head smaller than it would otherwise be to fill the space which it occupies, and to give the center of the head greater strength than its larger, outer coils or convolutions. r v In the accompanying drawing '1 have illustrated several embodiments of the'novel and im-, proved invention.

In this drawing:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary, plan view of a bedspring incorporating one style of structure;

Figure 2 is a similar view showing a modified construction Figure 3 is an analogous view of another arrangement of parts;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal, vertical, central section through one of the spiral-springs on an en-: larged scale;

Figure 5 is an enlarged section on line 5-5 of Figure 2; and I Figure 6 is a similar section on line 6-6 of Figure 3.

Each form of spring-cushion employs spiralsprings ll of substantially the same construction, and one of such springs is illustrated most clearly in Figure 4.

It comprises a lower portion 12 of gradually up wardly increasing diameter, a central section l3 of smaller diameter with the wire convolutions in contact with one another, and an upper section M of progressively increasing and then decreasing diameter, the convolution I5 just below the head of the spring being substantially smaller than the turns of the wire just below it.

Each such spring has a flat head l6 composed of a plurality of wire convolutions ll in substantially the same plane and at practically rightangles to the axis of the spring.

In the present instance, each such enlarged head is formed of about three complete convolutions of the wire and the end of the wire is knotted at l8 in the usual way.

In the structure shown in Figure 1, the springs I I are arranged in rows as shown, and the outer convolution or ring of each such spring-head is connected to neighbors by helical-springs l9, I9,

each pair of such springs intersecting, as shown.

By reason of the construction indicated, the spring-cushion possesses an excellent degree of resiliency, and, owing to the fact that the heads of springs can shift laterally more or less readily,-

they can conform to the load imposed on them without substantial displacement of the main bodies of the springs. v

Due to the fact that the convolution of the spring l5 just beneath the head is relatively small,

it has less resiliency in all directions than the convolutions of the head, and therefore it acts as a restraining element so that there will not be an undue or excessive movement of the head, and,

also by reason of the fact that the portion of the the structure and it avoids a large gap or space into which .the mattress might sink.

" InFigure .2, the construction is the same as in Figure 1, except that instead of connecting springs I9 being employed,the heads of the spiralsprings are joined together by straps 2|, the ends of which are wrapped around the outermost coils ofthe spring-heads.

The crossing straps 2| are desirably not in contact with one another so that there is no slid-.

ing action of the one on the other with danger of objectionable noise.

The peculiar forms of the spiral-springs used permit the employment of these comparatively non-resilient, connecting members 2|, 2|, the spring heads themselves affording the desired or required lateral resiliency; and, in fact, the spring heads may be directly connected together as is shown in Figure 3 by ordinary clips 22', one of which is illustrated-in detail in Figure 6-.

From the foregoing it will be clear that the enlarged heads of the springs are supported by the underlying main bodies of the springs, that the heads have a resiliency of their own lengthwise the springs and also added elasticity transverse to the spring axes, by which they perform a function wholly difierent from the earlier structures which did not have the plurality of convolutions in the heads supplemented by the reduced spring diameter just below.

The exact manner or" practisingv this invention and the details of the constructions mayYbe changed or modified within substantial degree,

without departure from the heart of the invention as defined by the appended claim and with out the loss or sacrifice of any of the material said head immediately above said neck being open in the uncompressed condition of the spring whereby upon compression of the spring said neck portion may occupy the otherwise unoccupied center part of said head, said neck portion com-. prising solely a part of the wire of which the spring is formed of substantial pitch with. its convolutions well separated from one another. WASHINGTON VINAR. 

